After just under a year of meetings, analysis and community feedback sessions, the Pittsburgh Affordable Housing Task Force has released its initial draft recommendations to support housing opportunities throughout the city.
“Every resident of Pittsburgh, especially those struggling with low incomes, should have the opportunity to be part of our city’s growth. At the same time, they shouldn’t become victims of it,” said Mayor Bill Peduto.
“The Affordable Housing Task Force has listened to residents citywide, and heard loud and clear their thoughts on housing issues, which change from neighborhood to neighborhood. It is city government’s job to protect the needs of all its residents and neighborhoods, and these recommendations will help us ensure that a basic need—shelter —can be protected and provided for all.”
The task force makes five broad recommendations: establish a citywide Housing Trust Fund, enacting incentive-based inclusionary housing requirements, expanding the use of low-income housing tax credits; creating a system to monitor and preserve deed-restricted affordable housing, and creating a system to renovate and preserve existing affordable housing stock.
Pittsburgh Councilman Danny Lavelle introduced legislation creating the task force in January 2015. He co-chairs the task force with and Pittsburgh Director of Planning Ray Gastil who told city council two weeks ago that the trust fund would need a $10 million annual investment.
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